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home » Sweets » Cookies

Shortbread cookies with a heart

  • German
  • Italian

In Italy, these fluffy, lemon-scented shortbread cookies are a classic with coffee. I like to make them in advance so I always have some in a jar on the kitchen shelf in the cold season – for surprise visitors and for my family and I!

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The Italians and their traditions

We Italians love traditions. There are great common customs and those that can vary from village to village. Some of the oldest traditions are based on the liturgical calendar. And especially during Advent, there are a great number of them. Actually, shortbread cookies with jam hearts are also part of the pre-Christmas season – just like the famous zampognari from Campania that symbolise the shepherds from the Christmas story and who make the pilgrimage to the manger every year.

Weiche Butterplätzchen mit Herz - Weihnachten

The shepherds with the bagpipe

Von den Abruzzen bis nach Süditalien zogen die zampognari früher zu großen Festen und vor allem im Advent durch die Dörfer. Ihren Namen haben sie von der zampogna, einer Sackpfeife, dieFrom Abruzzo to southern Italy, the zampognari used to parade through the villages at great festivals and especially during Advent. They got their name from the zampogna, a bagpipe, which they knew how to play skilfully. In this way, the shepherds provided the background for the festivities or for contemplation – depending on the occasion – and received money and food in return. However, it was the children, who waited for the shepherds and went with them through the village, who got the fine cookies. To this day, the zampognari are a central part of the Neapolitan Christmas tradition.

📖 Recipe

shortbread cookies

Shortbread cookies with jam heart

these fluffy, lemon-scented shortbread cookies are a classic with coffee
[en]5 from 3 votes[/en][de]5 von 3 Bewertungen[/de][it]5 da 3 voti[/it]
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course cookies, sweets
Cuisine Italian, vegetarian
Servings 40 cookies
Calories 43 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 25 g butter
  • 125 g sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 lemon zest, untreated
  • 250 g plain flour
  • 3 g baking powder
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 50 ml milk
  • jam

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180° C. Beat the butter (at room temperature), sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest and salt vigorously with a mixer. This will make the dough much airier than a conventional shortcrust pastry. Mix the flour with baking powder and add to the sugar-butter mixture. Knead or mix until a homogeneous mass is formed. Now add the yolks to the milk and slowly mix into the dough.
  • Fill the mixture into a piping bag with a serrated nozzle and pipe small mounds onto a baking tray with baking paper. Place a small dollop of jam in the centre of each cookie. It is best to form a hollow with a mocha spoon or small teaspoon and fill this with the jam. Apricot, red currant or raspberry are perfect. Bake the cookies at approx. 180° C for 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 43 kcalCarbohydrates: 8 gProtein: 1 gFat: 1 gCholesterol: 11 mgSodium: 15 mgPotassium: 10 mgSugar: 3 gVitamin A: 31 IUCalcium: 8 mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @a.modo_mio or tag #a-modo-mio!
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Buon appetito!

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Comments

    5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jhon says

    January 24, 2024 at 12:03 pm

    5 stars
    What an amazing recipe!

    Reply

Workshops

In einer Gruppe von maximal 10 Personen bereiten wir verschiedene Pasta-Sorten und die dazu passenden Saucen. Ich zeige euch meine Kenntnisse, sowie viele Tipps und Tricks in der Herstellung von Pasta.
Wir verköstigen die selbst-gemachten Nudeln dann gemeinsam. Dies mit vielen Geschichten der italienischen Küche, die das italienische Lebensgefühl „la dolce vita“ vermitteln.
* * * Alle Termine * * *

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Mein Buch

a modo mio das buch

Du findest im Buch eine Küche ohne Schnickschnack, original italienisch, meist vegetarisch und genau richtig für den Alltag. Viele Rezepte stammen aus unseren Familienkochbüchern, inspiriert von Mamma Maria oder Nonna Nina. Ich gebe natürlich auch Tipps und Tricks für perfekte Pasta, Risotto oder selbst gebackenes Brot. Zu meinen Lieblingen gehören ebenso italienisches Streetfood sowie Eingemachtes und Eingelegtes. Da werde ich wieder zum Kind, schleiche in die Vorratskammer und nasche heimlich vom Milchkaramell!

Hier geht es zu den Rezensionen

auf  Genialokal.de bestellen

Rezepte der Saison

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Hallo ich bin Alessandra,

Willkommen auf meinem Blog
der italienischen Gerichte und Geschichten.
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Foto: Anna Stöcher

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